Every game, a perfect game. That's baseball. No other game like it.

Mitch Williams, MLBN analyst & retired MLB player, said today that when a player chooses to take steroids, when a player admits to taking steroids, when a player is proven to have taken steroids, he has traded the Hall of Fame for money. (I would add, even if done to gain accolades or even to hold on to the game they loved…) In all cases, they traded away their eligibility for the Hall. I agree. A caveat, this is the U.S.A. You are innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, those only suspected of being steroids users, should not be convicted and punished by the court of public opinion, including being excluded from the HOF.

Jan. 9, 2012 is the due date to pay my 2012 invoice. I’ve decided not to renew. I’ve been rethinking my ticket license for the last two years. I was waiting to see if the new stadium would grow on me. Sadly, that hasn’t happened. Sure, it’s comfortable. The trade off is feeling like my presence at the game makes little difference. In the House That Ruth Built, we, the fans were the 26th man on the roster. We rocked the house and intimidated visiting players. I paid almost twice as much for my tickets then. (Like most of us, I was downgraded when they took over a whole level for luxury suites.) These new cheaper seats, even though a level up, have better sight lines and are roomier. Still, it’s no bargain. Now, I feel like I’m just one among the many tourist who are constantly roaming the concourse behind me. It feels a little like being at the mall. And those who know me know I hate malls! Going into the fourth year, I’ve accepted that this feeling is not passing. It’s not about the money. Like I said, I would still happily pay twice as much in the old stadium. So, what am I going to do with the $1050 I would have spent on renewing my license? I’ll go to a few games at the new house, paying probably half-price on stubhub. I’ll take my dad to a Mets game. Maybe, I’ll take a $20 Boltbus ride to Baltimore when the Yankees are in town. (I’ll have plenty of NY company.) I’ll go to Minnesota, where the SABR 42 Convention will be held and take a couple of other baseball road trips. I’ve always wanted to visit Chicago…Stay tuned for details.

I’ve been doing some research into late 1880s baseball. I’ve come across all kinds of interesting stuff. I thought I’d share some of it here. If it interests you, let me know and I will post more. The above newspaper carried a short article titled: Jumped on the Umpire. It was a game between the Red Stars of College Point and the Smarters of Woodhaven. The umpire was 15 yr. old George Goodwin. He called a Red Star out at second. And now I’m quoting…The Red Stars objected, and soon the two nine were in a rough-and-tumble, free-for-all flight. Some of the Red Stars got the umpire down, jumped on him, and beat him with bats into a state of insensibility, and then left him. After the fight was over the Smarters gathered up their bats and left the field, the opposing nine doing the same. The umpire was left lying where he was knocked down by the Red Stars, and where afterward he was found by Mr. Lobenheimer and carried to the home of the latter. A doctor pronounced the lad in a precarious condition. Wow! That some serious baseball!

No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. It sure seems like the details have been leaked out. To gain leverage? A dose of reality? Those are not games you play with Jeter. You don’t embarrass the captain that has never done one thing to embarrass the organization. In fact, the polar opposite.

And now, if it’s true, the news leaks out that they might not offer Mo 2 years. Two years? Really? That’s not asking much. We fans are not asking much. Seriously. Mariano Rivera. Even if he diminishes a little both of those years, he’d still be better than anyone else out there by far, not to mention his worth as a mentor. He could be Wakefield to the next Rivera.

Maybe it’s all this gloom just before the winter solstice, but I don’t know if I want to go to Yankee Stadium in 2011 without Freddy Sez, Jeter or Mariano. I don’t think I could do it. Give up my seniority as a licensee? Maybe. Sell my tickets, at a loss, no doubt. Maybe.

I became a fan in the 70s. Obviously, those players aren’t around anymore. I’m still a fan. Then there was the Captain, Donnie Baseball, whom I loved and kept us all loving the Yankees when they were in the losing years. Then there were the near recent greats, O’Neill, Bernie, Tino… All gone, although I love that Paul is doing more and more broadcasts. But, I don’t know. This would be too much, all at once. I don’t think I could bear it. I would have to mourn a little. Turn away for a while.

It just wouldn’t sound like Yankee Stadium. I was just getting use to the sounds of the new Yankee Stadium. I miss the roar and the thunder of the 26th player, the Old Yankee Stadium, which I felt I was a part of. Year three in the new stadium… and to not even have the hope of hearing the bang of Freddy’s pan, to not ever hear Sheppard’s voice, forever silenced, and to not feel the exuberant hope of those ominous first notes of Enter Sandman.

It just wouldn’t sound like the Yankees anymore.

Maybe, come Spring, my other senses will beckon me back…the smell of the grass, the crack of the bat, the smack of the glove.

What’s with Mo? Full counts. An almost-homerun. A pitching coach visit to the mound. After the double play, Mo did not look happy. No fist pump. No smile of relief (pardon the pun). Cervelli draped an arm around Mo’s shoulder, seeming to comfort him. Mo did not look comforted.

Distress call? Nope. Wake up call! It’s May, folks! Here come our May days, filled with homeruns, broken records, and all around jubilation. Some stats worth skipping for (May Pole optional):Our 5-9 guys batting 312Our first baseman entering the game on Saturday with .181 batting average, leaving yesterday’s game with a very hot bat, having scorched 3 HRs on Sunday.Cervelli becoming the first Yankees catcher to earned 5 RBIs in a game against the Red Sox since Yogi Berra on July 3, 1957.Winning our 9th in the first 10 series, equaling only the 1928 and 1939 clubs, both World Series Champions. And perhaps sweetest of all…Wiinning our 13th of the last 15 games against the Red Sox, taking away the sting of how last seaon’s match-up started.

First homestand, first West coast trip behind us, can’t
complain about April 2010, so far. 12-6, third in the standings behind Tampa and
Minnesota. Tampa in first, really? Yes, really. It’s still early, but that’s
impressive. Our series streak ended at 5 today. A record not matched since
1926. Today was disappointing, but that’s baseball.

In our more than half-full glass:

Cano’s amazing start

Jorge’s power and passion almost overshadowed by so many
doing so well. Jorge will take it. Winning matters more to him, adulations not
his focus.

The new guys are contributing, Granderson and Gardner are
making missing Damon and Matsui a lot easier.

Pena always ready off the bench.

Cervilli contributing offense as well as defense.

Andy is still Andy, The Great Stopper.

CC and Hughes going into the 8th with no-nos.

The triple play. The last one Yankees turned was in 1968.

It seems this team will only continue to break records, streaks and droughts.

It felt like destiny. Everything was going right. The comebacker in the 4th. Tex’s diving catch to end the 6th. ARod’s diving stop and Tex’s scoop at first, in the seventh. The deflected comebacker in the 8th and Cano’s amazing run to the ball and side arm to Tex. Everyone was pulling together to keep it together. Only four outs to go…

To quote one of Peter Pan’s lost boys at the end of the movie Hook, “That was a great game!”The excitement of the potential no hitter,the incredible plays in the infield, ARod’s 1,000th hit, Tex’s first hit, an RBI double. (A day-early birthday present), Cano’s homer. (What a great start for him!), I could go on & on, but let me end with Cervelli.An excellent job, working with CC.His walk after taking another blow to the head. OK, just a slap from Shoppach’s pickoff throw. Stay low, Franky. Stay low. Then a sac bunt. This guy earns his pinstripes! But, we knew that already. That’s why he is on the 25 man roster. That’s why the players voted to take less money so he could get a full share of the World Series bonus. You gotta love the guy. And that smile…well, that doesn’t hurt either. A YES (-Yes) classic, no doubt about it.

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.